Photos of Gaudi Barcelona:
Parc Guell, Sagrada Familia

Parc Guell, north Barcelona.

Another psychedelic project from Anton Gaudi is this brilliant park in north Barcelona, constructed between 1900-1914.
Note the mushroom chimneys, shaped exactly like the well-known hallucinogenic Fly Agaric mushroom. Some people are of the opinion that Gaudi was greatly influenced by these potentially toxic but wildly wacky 'rooms. Wacky rooms? Yup.

One of the startling buildings in Parc Guell.

Park Guell is a bit off the normal tourist route so get there via a Metro train to Vallcarca, one of those hop-on hop-off buses or a taxi if the wallet is willing.

Parc Guell's famous Gaudi salamander and elevated seating plaza.

A café in the park.

Sagrada Familia spires seen from the elevator stopping point.

The Sagrada Familia is more correctly known as The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia and has been under construction since 1882, with a completion date supposedly in 2026, but this is the society that made the term mañana famous so somehow we have our doubts.
However, the Sagrada Familia is - even unfinished - an astonishing building, one of Spain's best sights, Barcelona's top tourist attraction and it can only get better as bits get finished and the wrapping comes off.

The Sagrada Familia's east side, the intricately decorated Nativity façade over which Gaudi had most influence.

The severe, angled Passion façade on the west side.

The main doors on the west side. The south side, Glory, has yet to be completed. There will be no north side.

Mysterious engravings on the elevator doorway; and no, we have not reversed the image!

Three of the church's towers. Next, Pictures of Malaga.

The Sagrada Familia final plan calls for 18 towers in total, in ascending order of height, 12 for the apostles, 4 for the Evangelists, one for the Virgin Mary and one for Christ. The last and tallest will be 1 metre lower than Montjuic hill, so Gaudi's work does not surpass God's.

The interior of the church is partially complete with roof-support columns reminiscent of vast trees in a tropical forest with shafts of sunlight breaking through.

The whole church, inside and out is simply loaded with extraordinary detail, creativity and symbolism; it's endlessly fascinating and is well worth buying an entry ticket - which, incidentally, is paying for the continued work at about €18m a year. More.

If you have time to spare and want to make a trip out of Barcelona for a couple of days then Dali's turd-studded museum in Figueres (Pubol Castle or Gala Dali Museum), is 1.5 hour train ride from Plaza Catalunya.

Then take a bus for an hour to quiet and attractive Cadaques, a bohemian seaside town (Dali's home in latter years, specifically Port Ligat, 15 minutes walk from Cadaques centre). Adjacent Rosas, Dali's favourite haunt (as well as Picasso, Bunuel and Lorca) offers some medieval buildings, modern beaches and plenty of bars.

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